Philippa Marrack

Dr Philippa Marrack FMedSci FRS

Biography

Philippa Marrack is an immunologist who studies the life, death and function of the immune system’s T cells. Her work has application in both the treatment of autoimmune disorders and in the development of enhanced vaccines, which work by inducing T- and B-cell memories to protect from future infection.

Amongst her research highlights has been the discovery that autoresponsive developing T cells are terminated in the thymus, thereby ensuring that T cells are tolerant of the body’s own tissues. She was first to identify superantigens, a product of disease-causing microbes that can lead to the problematic, large-scale activation of T cells. IN addition, Philippa revealed that helper T cells identify antigens in combination with major histocompatibility complex proteins.

Interests and expertise

Subject groups

Awards

In recognition of their seminal contributions to T-cell biology, which include the characterisation of the T-cell receptor; the demonstration that self-tolerance is caused by clonal elimination in the thymus; and the discovery that bacterial toxins act as 'superantigens'.